“I’m more than just angry. The bastard never wanted me in the first place. ” He snorted,
looking at his clenched fist. “His idea of sex was to fuck them and leave them, a lesson, he claimed, he learned after my mother slammed a paternity suit on him. He used prostitutes after that while he looked for the woman worthy of carrying his heir. I never saw him until I was ten, after he got himself infected with disease and found out he’d never father another child. He tried to take me then, but my mother wouldn’t let him near me. She died six months later in a car wreck. ”
“Do you think—?” “He killed her? I wouldn’t put it past him. I know once he got his hands on me, he swore he’d train out all the soft weakness she’d taught me. I don’t want to talk about him anymore. ”
“I understand, but it’s a little soon for you to be switching sides and talking about taking the Huntersout, isn’t it?”
Logan shoved up and stalked to the window to stare out at the woods beyond. Ashamed of his earlier break down, he was equally grateful Ian hadn’t mentioned it. Once he quieted downafter learning he truly didn’t mean anything to his father, Ian took them to the shower, bathed them, and helped him dress. Fully aware of the concession Ian made on his part to sootheLogan’s shattered soul, itwasn’t, as far as Logan was concerned, going to make their relationship any easier. Now Logan was indebted to him for even more.
“I’ve always loved this forest. You can see the national park from here, can’t you?”
“Our land stretches from Nantahala National Park in Georgia near the North Carolina line to Asheville, North Carolina and into Tennessee, all pretty much wild land like you can see from the window. ”
“How do you afford it, all of this? I know now it’s not from stealing, not the way they claim. ”
“No, we don’t steal. We have mines, sapphire and ruby. Other packs and clans have other mines, farms, etc. Some work the stock market. ”
“The mines arenear here, but you don’t work them. ”
“No, but we oversee them. We hire our friends in Brevard to work them. Many of them are working here now too, on the construction. ”
“That explains why they couldn’t get anyone in town to talk to them about what goes on up here. ”
“The employment we provide supports the town, and we support ourselves, Logan, and share equally. ”
“Not equally,” he murmured, fingering his collar. He was silent for a long moment before he whirled to face Ian. “I know I’ve been fed a pack of lies all these years by the Hunters. ” Not just about wolves or by the Hunters. “I want to help shut them down. I can lead a raid on them and put an end to this. ”
“Absolutely not. ”
“What? What the hell do you mean, absolutely not?”
“I mean working in the field and combat are out of the question for you, Logan. ”
Logan’s mouth fell open,and he stared at Ian like he’d just grown another head. He snarled at Ian. “You don’t get to decide that. ”
“The hell I don’t. ” Ian folded his arms across his chest belligerently and glared at Logan. “You won’t be leaving Mountainwood. Not just no, but hell no. ”
Logan opened his mouth a time or two and stared at Ian, totally at a loss for something to say. He took in a couple of deep breaths and couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Fuck you, Ian! I’m not a damned child, or your dog, or whatever it is you’re trying to make me. ” He reached up, unsnapped the leather collar, and threw it on the floor.
Ian’s face darkened, and he stood up and walked toward Logan. “Fuck me, huh? Fuck me?Yeah, you’ll fuck me all right!I couldn’t handle knowing you were in danger. If I was worried about you in combat, I wouldn’t be able to do my job as beta effectively, and Marco relies on me. The good of the pack has to come first. I can’t let you fight against the Hunters and that’s final. End of fucking discussion!”
Ian was intimidating as hell, but Logan took a deep breath and stood his ground. He was pretty sure Ian wouldn’t hit him. Hadn’t he said the wolves cherished their pets? Time to find out. He lifted his chin and folded his arms across his chest, mimicking what Ian had done earlier. “No, it’s not the end of the discussion. I’m an adult, and I’ll do whatever I damn please. You’re not going to control my entire life. ”
Ian narrowed his eyes. “Logan, you’re skating on very thin ice. If you continue with this disrespect and defiance, you’ll leave me no choice but to discipline you. ”
“Discipline me?” Logan’s eyes squinted as he glared. “Discipline me? You’re full of shit! I hate you!”
“Right,” Ian said with a nod of his head. “Time for you and me to get a few things straight. ”
He ripped Logan’s T-shirt from his body in one powerful swing of his hands. Logan’s mouth dropped open. “That was the only one I had! You asshole!”
“I suggest you remove those pants,or you’ll be walking around here naked, because they’re next. ”
Logan took a step backward.
“Take them off,” Ian said softly, “Or you won’t be wearing clothes for a month. ”